"Before coming here, I also thought that the rule of Wizards relied solely on brute force and suppression.
But now it seems that governing the many with the few and controlling the large with the small is far from simple."
"Indeed, especially in situations involving secular wars, the methods that far exceed the imagination of ordinary people become even more widely used.
For example, the flying bird puppet that Celine bought earlier can easily detect enemy movements from a distance."
"And then there's Ivent's scouting and stealth techniques, which even Lord Roy was almost fooled by..."
"Senior Damo can also create lifelike puppets... no, wait, here we should be using centaurs, right?"
As they conversed, they quickly thought of various applications for their respective skills.
They didn't avoid the centaur natives beside them.
Because the language they used was the Wizard language of the Vizel civilization.
This language, passed down from the High Magic World, comes with matching runes and incantations, making it difficult for those from the Low-Magic World to understand.
At this moment, beneath each of them, centaur warriors stood obediently.
The one Roy rode was none other than Atedia, the guard captain assigned to him by his teacher from the castle.
At first, Roy wasn't quite accustomed to the feeling of riding an intelligent creature, fearing that his lack of skill might get him thrown off.
But Atedia was very docile, a result of the caste system and long-term indoctrination that bred loyalty and reliability.
"Lord Roy, it's getting late. Shall we head into the city?" Atedia spoke up after a while.
"Alright, let's go," Roy said.
Atedia then began to run, and the other centaur warriors followed suit.
...
In Scarto City, the guards spotted the group and immediately went on alert.
Their numbers, over a hundred strong, made them look like marauding bandits.
But upon seeing the humans on the centaurs' backs, the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up.
"It's the Wizard Lords from the capital!" an old apprentice in a robe shouted from the city walls.
"Quick, lower the drawbridge!"
After they entered, the old apprentice, accompanied by several human officials, greeted them at the gate.
"You must be Lord Roy. The capital has already informed us of the situation.
I am Berly, a follower of Lord Stina and a senior apprentice from the Sangris Wizard Tower."
After hearing his introduction and seeing his aged appearance, they knew he wasn't a descendant of immigrants but an old apprentice who had ventured out from the Star Sea decades ago.
However, seeing that he was still just a senior apprentice in his 70s, it was clear he had little chance of advancing further in this lifetime.
As they spoke, a centaur noble from the Nether Kingdom stepped forward.
"It's getting late. Please, esteemed lords, come inside for a detailed discussion."
This was the city lord of Scarto, who appeared to be a high-ranking noble but seemed more like an attendant next to the old apprentice.
"Please!"
Berly mounted his centaur steed and led the way on one side, showing respect.
...
Not long after, in the city lord's mansion.
In the spacious hall, everyone sat on the floor, surrounding Roy like stars around the moon at the large table above.
Petite, deer-like centaur maids bustled about, serving various delicacies, while dancers below provided entertainment.
Roy and his companions sipped their drinks and chatted leisurely while enjoying the exotic performances.
"The basic situation is this: the Blood Mane Tribe in the south has always been unruly. This time, taking advantage of the autumn harvest, they've come to cause trouble again. It's the annual 'Looting the harvest'...
If possible, we hope the Wizard can intervene to protect the territory and its people."
The city lord, who had come to greet them earlier, briefly explained the situation and made his request with a hint of hope.
"To be honest, our colonial rule is indeed lax and ineffective. The native nobles are only concerned with indulging in pleasure, and their military preparedness has gradually slackened..."
Berly explained quietly to Roy with a touch of embarrassment.
In fact, Roy and his group had already had some understanding of the situation before arriving.
They knew that the Wizards, in order to maintain colonial rule, deliberately suppressed the development potential of the natives.
Due to the centaurs' physical structure, the local natives mostly sat on the ground, and the halls and rooms were designed with wide, flat, and straight doors.
These adaptations derived from their physiology were objective conditions, and even the Wizards found it difficult to force them to change.
It wasn't that it couldn't be done, but the cost of enforcing such changes was often too high to be worthwhile.
However, they strictly limited the forging of iron and weapons, and undermined traditional cultural practices and moral values.
These measures often didn't directly affect the general populace and weren't deeply felt.
Guiding aesthetics...
Even promoting singing, dancing, drinking, and various forms of revelry and indulgence...
These aligned with biological instincts.
Not only did they face less resistance, but some were even welcomed!
After centuries of relentless effort by the Wizards, the Nether Kingdom had given rise to a group of war-averse, decadent nobles who indulged in luxury and vice.
Coupled with various intentional and unintentional wars and forced labor...
The entire kingdom had thoroughly decayed.
But the barbarian tribes on the frontier didn't follow this pattern.
The harsh living conditions there, with numerous fierce beasts and disasters, meant only the strongest warriors could survive.
"No wonder the Alliance doesn't recruit from here anymore. I heard that centuries ago, there was a specially conscripted Centaur Legion that served as auxiliary forces in the Plane War..."
Several apprentices privately discussed, finding it both amusing and frustrating.
This colony was truly a dilemma.
No wonder it mostly supplied materials in later stages.
After the banquet, night fell.
The city lord summoned several graceful and beautiful centaur maidens.
"These are carefully selected from our city. I hope the esteemed guests will enjoy them..."
Roy's mouth twitched slightly, but he didn't want to offend the well-meaning host.
Faced with such a native city lord, he couldn't scold him outright and simply said, "No need. My Wizardry experiments are dangerous, and ordinary beings are strictly forbidden from approaching."
This statement was half-truth, half-lie.
He was indeed in the stage of controlling his own radiation pollution and attempting to inscribe his Innate Wizardry.
Moreover, given the uncertain situation here, he was wary of potential assassins and didn't want to involve himself with these unfamiliar natives.
The city lord felt a bit disappointed but quickly expressed his understanding respectfully.
Not long after, Roy settled into the luxurious mansion arranged by the city lord. However, instead of meditating or resting, he busied himself with creating artifacts through the Art of Alchemy.
As soon as Roy took out the alchemy tools he carried with him and asked Celine to help prepare them, he heard Atedia, the guard captain stationed outside, suddenly report.
"The City Lord Madam is here."
Roy stepped out to take a look and was momentarily stunned.
Standing in the hall was a curvaceous centaur beauty, dressed in a frivolous and flamboyant sheer gauze that revealed her skin in a tantalizing manner, exuding an alluring charm.
What was even more astonishing was that the City Lord Madam's skin was milky white, glowing softly, and under the candlelight, she appeared as if carved from jade.
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